Illuminated wig

ABSTRACT

A light source in combination with light-conducting fibers are incorporated in a wig or removable hairpiece to provide an illuminated decorative wig. Light-emitting ends of the fibers are randomly interspersed throughout the hair of the wig and a switch is included to control light source operation.

SEARCH ROOM 51 Sept. 11, 1973 ABSTRACT X L 9 2 H 6 tinned 3T3 SUBSTITUTE FOR MlSSlNG XR Frohardt, both of 3850 Nobles Rd., Littlcton, Colo. 80120 Nov. 27, 1970 240/6.4 W, 132/53, 240/59 F2lv 33/00, F2ll 15/06 References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS Maddennm... D'Arbeloff........................

lLLUMlNATED WlG lnvcntors: Esther E. Frohardt; Melvin W.

Filed:

Appl. No; 93,059

U.S. Int. Cl. Field of Search....................

240/] EL; 46/l72, 228; 272/25; 132/53 7/1972 3/l970 ll/l955 Frohardt et al.

l l l 1 PAIENIED 3.758.771

sum 1 or 2 35 E 4 INVENTORI."

ESTHER E. FROHARDT MELVIN W FROHARDT BY ATTORNEYS ILLUMINATED WIG The present invention relates to wigs and more particularly to a novel and improved ornamental wig characterized by being illuminated by light-conducting fibers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel illuminated wig which is decorative, attractive, comfortable and not cumbersome to wear.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a wig or removable hairpiece for a novel and improved form of illumination.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a novel decorative wig characterized by having light-emitting flexible fibers interspersed through the wig hair and which appear very much like hair and may be combed together with the hair.

It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide a novel illuminated wig having lightconducting flexible fibers arranged with their lightreceiving ends concealed in the cap base of the wig and their light-emitting ends interspersed through the hair of the wig so that the wig hair and the light-emitting end portions of the flexible fibers cooperate to support each other.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel illuminated wig having light-emitting flexible fibers randomly distributed through the wig hair in such a way as to take on the appearance of hair when not illuminated.

Additional objects of the present invention reside in the specific construction of the exemplary wig hereinafter particularly described in the specification and shown in the several drawings.

In accomplishing these and other objects, there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a wig having a plurality of lightweight lightconducting flexible fibers integrated therein. The fibers may take on the appearance of hair and have their light-emitting ends interspersed at random in the wig hair to impart an attractive appearance. A miniaturized light source including a battery, switch and lamp are concealed in the wig cap base, and the light-conducting fibers have their receiving ends bundled and secured within the cap base to receive light from the lamp and conduct it through the fibers to the light-emitting ends. A liner may be incorporated into the wig with the components of the light source so mounted in the wig cap that the wig is comfortable to wear and not cumbersome. Thus, there has been devised a novel illuminated wig which is decorative, attractive and comfortable; and, since the source ofillumination may be selectively switched on or off the wig may be used either as a lighted, decorative wig, or as a standard nonilluminated wig.

The above and other objects, advantages and features ofthc present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of alternate forms of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings, -in which:

FIG. I is a schematic drawing of a wig according to the present invention in place on a wearer's head.

FIG. 2 is a view of the underside of the wig of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating one form of invention in which light-conducting fibers may be integrated in the wig of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating another form in which a headliner or padding may be incorporated into the wig of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, there is shown a wig generally indicated by the numeral 10. The wig 10 has a conventional wig cap 11 which is preferably a flexible net type fabric and is formed to fit on a human head. The wig cap 11 defines the outer surface or skin upon which groups of hair 12 are attached to secured in a conventional manner, such as, by binder strips 14 sewn on the wig cap 11'. The groups of hair 12 secured on the wig cap 11 form the outer hairy surface or head of hair 13 of the wig 10. It is noted that although the wig cap 11 illustrated is for covering the entire portion of a persons head it could be designed to only cover a selected portion of the wearer's head.

Secured on the inside surface of the wig cap 11 is a miniaturized light source made up of a battery 15, an electric lamp 16 and a switch 17. The battery 15 is mounted in'a conventional battery case assembly 18 and the case assembly 18 is secured to the wig cap 11 preferably by being sewn thereon. The case assembly 18 has electrical terminals 19 and 20, and the battery 15 which is preferably an AA size dry cell type has its positive and negative poles positioned in contact with the electrical terminals 19 and 20, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the battery casing 18 is preferably secured on the underside of the wig cap -11 centrally with the battery 15 positioned to run crossways over the top portion of a person's head upon which the wig 10 is situated. It has been found that such a positioning of the battery 15 and casing 18 is least bothersome and cumbersome for the wig wearer.

The lamp 16 is mounted in a bulb socket 21 and the socket 21 is secured to the inside of the wig cap 11 preferably by sewing. It has been found convenient to sew the socket 21 centrally on the lower rear portion of the wig cap 11 with the lamp 16 facing upwards. The switch 17 is secured to the inside of the wig cap 11, such as, by being sewn thereon and is preferably located near one ear ofa wearer so as to be readily accessible when the wig 10 is being worn. The switch 17 is shown as a manual on-off switch of the miniature slide snap type. It is noted however that the switch means could take numerous other forms such as a mercury switch which would be sensitive to the position of a wearers head or as flashing on-off sequencing switch.

The battery 15, lamp 16 and switch 17 are connected in a series circuit to provide a light source which may be selectively illuminated by connecting electrical lead 22 from the terminal 19 of the case assembly 18 to one terminal of the lamp socket 21, connecting electrical lead 23 from the other terminal of the socket 21 to one terminal of the switch 17, and connecting electrical and attractive manner. The optical fibers 30 are preferablycomposed of a flexible plastic and commonly referred to as fiber optic filaments which have the appearance and texture of hair and comb as hair. The fibers 30 may be of various diameters, such as, a diameter ranging from approximately the size of hair to several times the diameter of a hair. The fiber optic filaments are operable to conduct light from one point to another by transmitting light through the core by internal reflections, and the light emitting ends of the fibers I define distinct point light sources. The fibers 30 may be i formed in any suitable manner, for example, as a light tube or pipe, or with a solid, yet flexible, transparent core having a reflective external sheathing medium wrapped around the transparent core.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fibers 30 have their lightreceiving ends joined and positionedasa bundle in a cylindrical light-directing structurc 32 which is mounted around the lamp 16 on the socket 21. The structure 32 is preferably frictionally fit around the bundle of fibers 30 and on the socket 21. The lightreceiving ends of the fibers 30 are held in a bundle by means of a fastener or tie 33, and this large bundle is split into several smaller bundles, such as two, which are also held together by ties 33 and are appropriately positioned along the underside of the wig cap 11. The light-conducting fibers 30 are branched off, either individually or in small groups, from the smaller fiber bundles and are passed from the bundles through small openings or pores 35 in the wig cap 11. Thereby, the light-emitting ends of the fibers 30 are interspersed in a random manner in the wig hair 13. The fibers 30 may have their light-emitting ends terminated at approximately the outer periphery of the hair 13 to create a multi-light display effect in the hair 13. Alternately, the fibers 30 may have their light-emitting ends terminated beneath the periphery of the hair 13 to create a dispersed illumination ofthe wig hair 13 or may have their I light-emitting ends terminated beyond the periphery of the hair 13 so that distinct point light sources are formed which sway or move as a function of the body motion of the wearer. It is noted that since these fibers are flexible like hair that their light-emitting ends sway or pivot about the holes inthe wig cap 11 and may be combined with the hair 13. The free ends ofthe hair 13 and fibers 30 cooperate to support each other in the wig 10.

FIG. 3 shows the bundles of fibers 30 mounted in one suitable manner on the underside of the wig cap 11 by sewing or threading the ties 33 on the wig cap 11, thereby to sew or tie the fibers 30 on the wig cap 11. The light-emitting ends of the fibers 30 are passed through the holes or pores 35 in the cap base 11, either individually or in small groups, into the hair portion of the wig l0. The lengths of the fibers or filaments 30 in the wig hair correspond to that of the hair and can be combed and positioned with the wig hair. i I

case assembly 18, so that a neatly tailored wig is provided which is comfortable and not cumbersome to wear.

Thus, there has been provided a novel illuminated wig which is decorative, attractive, comfortable, not cumbersome to wear, constructed in an integral unit and in which the wig illumination may be selectively switched on or off so that the wig may be used as either a lighted, decorative wig or as a standard nonilluminated wig. Numerous variations are possible in accordance with the present invention including dying the light-conducting fibers an appropriate color, such as the color of the wig hair, or dying the fiber ends different colors to provide multi-color lighting effects. Additionally, it is noted that the light source components are arranged in a balanced and concealed manner on the wig so as not to detract from the attractiveness of the wig.

Accordingly, while preferred and alternate forms of the present invention have been set forth and described herein, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made in the particular construction and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wig having a wig cap with hair secured on its outer surface, the combination comprising:

a flexible liner having at least one cutout fitted on the underside of said wig cap, light source means disposed in said cutout between said wig cap and said liner, and a plurality of light-conducting fibers including light-receiving ends and opposite lightemitting ends, said fibers disposed with their lightreceiving ends positioned adjacent to said light source means to receive light therefrom and transmit same to their light-emitting ends, and said fibers branching away from said light-receiving ends, and interspersed in said wig hair to illuminate said wig.

2. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said fi-.

bers are flexible and have a color and texture similar to that of hair, the light-emitting ends of said fibers being interspersed at random and supported by said wig hair so as to be positionable therewith.

3. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said fibers emit lights of different colors to provide a multicolored illumination of said wig.

4. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said light source means comprises a series-connected battery and by sewing to wig cap base 11. A soft, flexible spongetype porous liner or padding 41 is mounted against the underside of the fabric 40. The padding 41 has approprintcly formed cutouts therein to accommodate the components of the light source, such as, the battery lamp, and including switch means operative to control said light source means.

5. A wig, comprising:

a wig cap with hair secured on its outer surface;

a padding secured to the inner surface of the wig cap;

a battery case with electrical terminals mounted in said padding, said battery case being operable to hold a battery with its electrical poles in contact with the electrical terminals of said battery case;

a lamp socket mounted in said padding;

a switch mounted on said wig cap;

electrical leads connecting said lamp socket and said switch in a series between the electrical terminals of said battery case; and

a plurality of light-conducting fibers integrated in said wig cap with their light-receiving ends bundled adjacent said lamp socket to receive light from an electric lamp secured in said lamp socket and their light-emitting ends interspersed in said wig hair so as to be positionable with said wig hair. 4 I l 0' t 

1. In a wig having a wig cap with hair secured on its outer surface, the combination comprising: a flexible liner having at least one cutout fitted on the underside of said wig cap, light source means disposed in said cutout between said wig cap and said liner, and a plurality of light-conducting fibers including light-receiving ends and opposite light-emitting ends, said fibers disposed with their light-receiving ends positioned adjacent to said light source means to receive light therefrom and transmit same to their light-emitting ends, and said fibers branching away from said light-receiving ends, and interspersed in said wig hair to illuminate said wig.
 2. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said fibers are flexible and have a color and texture similar to that of hair, the light-emitting ends of said fibers being interspersed at random and supported by said wig hair so as to be positionable therewith.
 3. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said fibers emit lights of different colors to provide a multi-colored illumination of said wig.
 4. The invention recited in claim 1, wherein said light source means comprises a series-connected battery and lamp, and including switch means operative to control said light source means.
 5. A wig, comprising: a wig cap with hair secured on its outer surface; a padding secured to the inner surface of the wig cap; a battery case with electrical terminals mounted in said padding, said battery case being operable to hold a battery with its electrical poles in contact with the electrical terminals of said battery case; a lamp socket mounted in said padding; a switch mounted on said wig cap; electrical leads connecting said lamp socket and said switch in a series between the electrical terminals of said battery case; and a plurality of light-conducting fibers integrated in said wig cap with their light-receiving ends bundled adjacent said lamp socket to receive light from an electric lamp secured in said lamp socket and their light-emitting ends interspersed in said wig hair so as to be positionable with said wig hair. 